A 60-year-old pilot from Latam airline was arrested inside a plane by the State Department of Homicide and Personal Protection (DHPP) this Monday morning (9) at Congonhas Airport, in the South Zone of São Paulo.
The arrest occurred during Operation Apertem os Cintos, which investigates, among other crimes, rape of vulnerable people, promoting prostitution and sexual exploitation of children and adolescents.
The operation carries out eight search and seizure warrants against four people under investigation and two for temporary arrest.
The investigations are carried out in the capital of São Paulo, including Congonhas Airport, and in Guararema, in the Metropolitan Region, with the participation of 32 civil police officers and 14 vehicles.
According to the Public Security Secretariat, the 60-year-old pilot is suspected of participating in the network of child pornography exploitation and rape of vulnerable people for at least eight years. In addition to him, a 55-year-old woman who allegedly received payment for the “sale” of her 10, 12 and 14-year-old granddaughters to the pilot was also arrested.
The police investigation began in October 2025. Since then, three victims have been identified, aged 11, 12 and 15, all subjected to serious situations of sexual abuse and exploitation.
According to the Civil Police, the structured criminal network was focused on the sexual exploitation of children and adolescents.
Crimes of rape of a vulnerable person, rape, favoring prostitution and sexual exploitation of children and adolescents, use of false documents, production, storage and sharing of child pornography material, repeated persecution (stalking), grooming of children and coercion during the process are investigated, evidencing a serious violation of the sexual dignity of children and adolescents.
“The evidence collected so far shows that the crimes investigated are part of an organized structure of child sexual exploitation, with signs of habituality, division of functions and coordinated action between those involved,” stated the SSP.
“The Civil Police emphasizes that the purpose of the operation is to immediately cease criminal activity, protect the physical and psychological integrity of the victims, identify other perpetrators and victims, preserve essential evidence and ensure the effectiveness of the investigation given the seriousness of the facts discovered. And it does not rule out new arrests and identification of new victims of the criminal scheme”, he continued.
The warrants were granted by the Court due to the robust materiality of the crime, the strong evidence of authorship, the concrete gravity of the crimes, the high risk of criminal repetition and the concrete possibility of concealment, destruction or tampering with evidence, especially that of a digital nature.
